Work-positioning means for box blank machines



(M0 25, 1938. E. M. FLORCYK I 2,134,116

WORK POSITIONING MEANS FOR BOX BLANK MACHINES Filed Jan. 21, 1956 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

I? a EJ LF'LORCYK M3 aw m QM A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 25, 1938.

E. M. FLORCYK 2,134,116

WORK POSITIONING MEANS FOR BOX BLANK MACHINES Filed Jan. 21, 1915s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wil /15111114 L v /QW ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 PATENT OFFICE WORK-POSITIONING MEANS FOR BO'X' BLANK MACHINES Edward M. Florcyk, Rockaway, N. J assignor tostapling. Machines 00., a, corporation of. Delaware Application January 21, 1936, Serial No. 60,027

3 Claims.

This invention relates to box-making maof each conveyor chain, it will accommodate chines and particularly to machines for making wirebound box blanks.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means for positioning and conveying the box parts through the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide work-positioning and conveying means which are readily adjustable to accommodate box parts of different dimensions.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section of a wirebound box blank machine embodying the invention and showing the endless Work-conveying means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in section, seen from the line 22 of'Fig.-1 with certain parts omitted for clearness of illustra- 20 tion.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one pair of driven sprocket wheels and the pair of workconveying chains which are driven thereby.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same with some of the links of the conveyor chains omitted for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of a pair of work-conveying chains.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of a pair of sprocket wheels and the pair of conveyor chains which are trained thereover;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken onthe line '!--1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of conveyor chains and the supports therefor and showing the manner in whichthe two chains are spaced laterally to receive between them and position a cleat or batten for a box blank.

Fig. 9 is a similar view but showing the pair of chains more widely separated toposition a Wider cleat or batten.

In the manufacture of wirebound box blanks, cleats and side sheets are positioned in proper relationship to each other on endless conveyor chains which carry the cleats and sheets beneath stapling mechanism which operates to drive staples into the sheets and cleats to secure them together and to staple binding wire'thereto. A machine of this general type is disclosed in U. S. Patent to Thompson No. 1,738,806 of December 10, 1929.

As shown in said Thompson patent, each conveyor chain is channel-shaped to receive and position laterally the cleats for the box blank. Because of the fixed relationship of the side walls cleats of one width only, thus necessitating the substitution of a different chain for each different width of cleat to be operated upon.

'The present invention isintended to provide a conveying means forcleats, the side walls of which may be adjusted laterally to accommodate cleats ofdiiferent widths and thus eliminate the necessity of changing conveyor chains'for cleats of different widths.

Referring to Fig. 2, the work-positioning and conveying means of this inventionconsists of two pairs of'endless conveyor chains, the chains of one pair being designated I and I respectively, and the chains of the otherpair being designated 2 and 2 respectively. The pair of chains are relatively adjustable laterally of the maohine'and the ohainsofeach pair are also relatively adjustable laterally for a purpose hereinafter explained.

As best shown in Figs; 5 and 6, each conveyor chain consistsof a'plurality of chain links pivotally connected byconnecting links 3 to pass over sprocket wheels at either end of the machine. As shown in Fig. 1, each chain is driven by a driven sprocket wheel 4 keyed to a shaft 5 at the delivery end of the machine and passes over anidler sprocket wheel 6 rotatably mounted on a shaft 7 at the receiving end of the machine. Between the sprocket wheels 4 and 5 the chains are supported on guide supports 8, which are also laterally adjustable to accommodate lateral adjustment of the chains.

As best shown in Figs. 8' and 9, each support 8 is provided with a flange 9 which engages rollers Ill carried by the conveyor chain, and thus supports the chain through the rollers, thereby reducing frictional drag. The rollers H] are so located as to permit the lower extremity of the side walls of each conveyor chain to extendbelow the top of the flange 9 of the support 8 and thus prevent lateral movement of the conveyor chain.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each sprocket wheel is provided with teeth H so spaced as to engage appropriate recesses formed in the connecting links 3, the recesses in the connecting links and the teeth ll being'so formed .as to provide an arc'of' approach and recess such that the impact of contact between the chain and the sprocket wheel is small and a uniform speed of travel is imparted to the chains.

Each sprocket wheel is also provided between teeth II with .a flange l2 adapted to extend into the recess formed by the side walls of each conveyor chain link, as shown in Fig. 7, and thus prevents lateral movement of the conveyor chains as they pass over the sprocket wheels.

Referring to Fig. 5, a pair of conveyor chains I and I is shown. The pair of chains I and I are positioned relative to each other an appropriate distance to form a channel to receive a certain width cleat.v

As best shown in Fig. 7, the ouside chain I of the pair of chains carries an upwardly extending inner flange I4 to position one side of a cleat or batten C, and to position one end of a sheet S. The inner side wall of the chain l is formed to provide a shoulder I5 upon which the cleat C may rest. The links of chain I are formed to provide a shoulder I5 to support the other side of the cleat C, the two shoulders I5 and I5 between them serving to support the cleat C.

The links of chain I are also provided with an upwardly extending flange IE to position the other side of the cleat C. Thus, the flange I4 of the chain I and the flange I6 of the chain I form a channel to receive the cleats C and to hold them against lateral movement.

For positioning the cleats endwise in the channel formed by the pair of chains I and I and for propelling the cleats C with the chains, spacer or pusher blocks I! are adjustably secured in a slot I8 formed in flange I6 of the chains I. Each block I! carries a laterally extending arm I9 to engage the rear end of each cleat C. The block II also carries an upwardly extending arm or fin 20 to engage the rear edge of each sheet S. The arms I9 and 20 may be formed integrally or separately and may be releasably secured to the block I1 to permit substitution of differently dimensioned arms I9 and 20 to accommodate diiferent dimensioned box parts and the spacing thereof.

The links of chain I may be provided with slots 2| to which staple control blocks may be adjustably secured for controlling the operation of the stapling mechanism in the manner described in said Thompson patent.

Relative adjustment of chains I and I to accommodate cleats of different widths is illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In Fig. '7, a narrow cleat C is being operated upon and the chains I and I are located close together to provide a narrow channel to receive the cleat C. In Fig. 8, a wider cleat C is being operated upon and the chains I and I are more widely separated. In Fig. 9 a wide batten or cleat C is being operated upon and the chains I and I are more widely separated than in Fig. 8. 7

To clinch the ends of any staples which may be driven through the cleats C, one or more clincher blocks 22 (depending upon the spacing between the chains) may be located between chains I and I Many suitable types of clincher blocks and the operationthereof are well known and therefore will not be described herein, it being suflicient to say that such clincher blocks are located beneath the work and in vertical alignment with the staple driving mechanism to receive the thrust of the staple driver and to clinch the ends of staples which may be driven through the work;

The use of two pairs of conveyor chains instead of two single conveyor chains to position and feed sheets and cleats through the machine 7 provides in effect two adjustable channels for positioning box cleats which may be readily and quickly adjusted for cleats having different widths. This feature of my invention saves much time and labor in setting the machine for each new run of box blanks, as heretofore it was necessary to substitute a different chain for different width cleats.

The width of the cleat as referred to herein is the horizontal width of the cleat measured at right angles to its direction of travel. In the completed box this width is usually referred to as the depth of the cleat.

The width of the sheet as referred to herein is the width of the sheet measured at right angles to its direction of travel.

It will be noted that the conveyor chain links are supported primarily by rollers which contact the stationary guides for the chains. This arrangement greatly reduces frictional drag of the chains on their supporting guides and thus reduces wear and tear on the parts and contributes to a smoother operation and power saving.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown for illustration as the inventive features may be variously embodied without departing from the invention.

It will also be understood that all of the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as they may be used in various combinations as defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, means to position and feed cleats and sheets comprising a plurality of pairs of endless conveyors, each conveyor of each pair being provided with an arm and a shoulder to support and position one side of a cleat whereby a cleat placed between the conveyors of a pair will be positioned vertically and horizontally, and the conveyors of each pair being relatively adjustable laterally to accommodate cleats of different widths, and the pairs of conveyors being relatively adjustable laterally to accommodate sheets of different widths.

2. In a machine of the character described, means to position and feed sheets and cleats comprising a plurality of pairs of endless conveyors, each pair being constructed and arranged to support and position between them a cleat, and being relatively adjustable laterally to accommodate cleats of different widths, and the pairs of conveyors being relatively adjustable laterally to accommodate sheets of different widths.

3. In a machine of the character described, means to position and feed cleats comprising a plurality of pairs of endless conveyors, each conveyor of each pair being provided with an arm and a shoulder to support and position one side of a cleat whereby a cleat placed between the conveyors of a pair will be positioned vertically and laterally, and the conveyors of each pair being relatively adjustable laterally to accommodate cleats of different widths.

EDWARD M. FLORCYK. 

